The UK job market is competitive, but it offers plenty of opportunities to those who are ready to accept challenges. This is particularly true for London. You can choose any kind of career and develop it over the years. The information technology (IT) sector has been growing ever since the use of computers in companies became a practice. The number of job vacancies remained relatively steady even during the economic downturn. You should definitely consider an IT career. Get introduced to it first.
The IT specialists can take different positions depending on their level of qualification and experience. You can work on the development of new technologies, but most professionals work in IT support. The network administrators are responsible for the management of networks. Their tasks are very basic – account management and backing up files. There may be different levels in network administrations with the higher-level specialists being responsible for more complex tasks. The IT engineers are responsible for the network design and server configurations.
You can readily find a vacant IT position in a large company, which does not have to be in the information technology industry. A lot of government and municipal institutions as well as media and banks hire such professionals. However, more and more organizations find it cheaper to outsource their information technology operations and support. In turn, the number of IT consultancy companies in the UK has grown proportionally to the increased demand for this type of outsourcing. Hence, you are more likely to find a vacancy in such a company. Your chances in the London area are higher due to the large number of IT consultancy firms in the city.
It cannot be said that the industry is very competitive for employment seekers. In order to secure an IT job, you might not need to have higher education. In many cases, employers require candidates for low-level positions to have undergone certified training. You can sign up for any kind of course in order to get the necessary qualifications. The course has to be certified by an independent organization which is responsible for recognizing and setting industry standards. Generally, all courses certified by bodies such as the British Computing Society are based on the latest innovations in the IT industry. In turn, such qualifications are highly value by employers.
Even though you do not have to have a higher education, candidates, who have a degree in computing, computer programming and engineering or anything related to the IT sector, usually have higher chances of securing a position. However, you should be aware of the fact that individuals with a university degree are not automatically eligible for higher positions. The experience is the most important factor for employers. Hence, even if you have excellent qualifications, you will have to start at the lowest level if you have not worked in the sector. Then you can climb the career ladder.
You can expect to get paid well for your services if you pursue an IT career. You can start with a salary of £20,000 per annum and receive higher remuneration once you move to a higher-level position. The IT engineers are paid £40,000 a year on average.